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For those of you that don't know, October 1st-31st is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer in general is a really shitty thing and impacts each & every one of us or someone we love at some point in our lifetime. It is our goal in the very near future to drop a few items that are Cancer related and will help to support various foundations moving forward. We also hope that as a movement we can inspire, inform, and bring together you all to get through the odds. 

Every form of Cancer is preventable to a certain extent not through a cure but through knowledge. Since it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month we figured we'd share some info/links about Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer prevention via our friends at keep-a-breast.org!

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WHAT IS BREAST CANCER?

Cancer is the name of a large group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. In most cancers, this rapid cell growth eventually forms a potentially dangerous lump of cells, or tumor. Over time, cancer cells can invade other parts of the body and interrupt normal body function, and can ultimately lead to death. All cancers are named for the place in the body where the abnormal cell growth started. 

Breast cancer is a group of cancerous, or , cells that originates in the tissue of the breast. Although men can get the disease, nearly all cases of breast cancer occur in women. After skin cancer, it is the most common form of cancer among women. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk).

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY:

• Besides skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among American women. It accounts for nearly 1 in 3 cases of cancers.
• Only lung cancer accounts for more cancer deaths among American women. 
• Today, about 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime.
• A woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes.
• The chance that a breast cancer patient will be alive five years after diagnosis is lower in women under 40. Statistics indicate that tumors diagnosed in younger women may be more aggressive and less responsive to treatment, making early detection key.

 

 

 

 

 

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE:

• Approximately 2.6 million American women with a history of breast cancer were alive in January, 2008.
• Men can get Breast Cancer too! Although it usually occurs among women, men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. About 2,190 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected among men in 2012; approximately 410 men will die from breast cancer in 2012.
• About 12% of women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes. This is equivalent to 1 in 8 women.

 

ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) :

• White women have the highest incidence rate for breast cancer (about 125 women out of every 100,000), followed Black women, then Hispanic women, then Asian/Pacific Islander women, and then American Indian/Alaska Native women. 
• Death rates from breast cancer tell a different story. Black women have the highest death rates, followed by White women, then Hispanic women, then American Indian/Alaska Native women, and then Asian/Pacific Islander women.

PREVENTION IS THE CURE!

Every woman can decrease her risk of breast cancer by leading a healthy lifestyle, avoiding common toxins that are linked to cancer, and making smart diet choices. Join  The Keep A Breast Non Toxic Revolution to find out more! 

It is important to recognize that some of the factors that increase a woman’s chances of getting breast cancer simply cannot be changed. These include:

AGING

The risk of breast cancer increases as women get older, although women under 30 can get the disease. 

GENETICS/FAMILY HISTORY

Some women inherit abnormal genes that increase their risk of breast cancer. 

RACE

White woman are slightly more likely to get breast cancer than African-American women. 

BREAST TISSUE

Women with dense breast tissue are more likely to get breast cancer than others. 

MENSTRUAL PERIODS

Women who have had more menstrual cycles because they started menstruating early (before age 12) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.

None of these natural risk factors should discourage anyone from making lifestyle choices that are proven to decrease the risk of breast cancer. In fact, they make it more important to practice prevention now! No matter what your age, race, breast characteristics or genetic history, you can work to prevent breast cancer. These prevention techniques fall into two categories: Your Body and Your House. 

For more detailed information on the following strategies, visit the Keep A Breast Non Toxic Revolution (NTR) website. 

 

YOUR BODY

How you treat your body, and what you put in and on it, are the foundation of breast cancer prevention. Here are the basics from our Pocket Prevention Guide: 

DON’T SMOKE!

Women who smoke or inhale passive smoke may increase their risk of breast cancer by as much as 60 percent.

EAT WELL!

Keep to a high fiber, low fat diet, and eat les red meat. Women who eat the most red meat have an 88 to 330 percent higher risk of breast cancer. 

MOVE!

Just 30 minutes of aerobic activity 3-5 times a week can lower your risk of breast cancer by 30 to 50 percent. 

BREASTFEED!

Your breasts play a vital role in childbirth, and breastfeeding can lower your risk of breast cancer. Breastfeeding reduces a woman’s total number of lifetime menstrual cycles, which lowers her risk of breast cancer. 

You can also prevent breast cancer by being careful about the products you put on your body. Many makeup and beauty products contain chemicals linked to cancer. Make sure to check products’ “Ingredients” lists, not just the front of the label! Many products state that they are “Natural” but are not chemical free. In 2007, Kline and Company released the “Natural Personal Care: Competitive Brand Assessment and Ingredient Analysis” report, profiling 26 brands and finding that half of the brands positioned as “natural” actually contain mostly synthetic ingredients. So read closely and avoid these tongue twisters:

PARABENS

These are found in lotions, sunscreens and deodorant. They are known to disrupt hormone function, an effect that is linked to increased risk of breast cancer. The skin absorbs this chemical group so well it has been found in most breast tumors! EEK! Check for “Paraben-Free” products.

PHTHALATES

These are found in nail polishes, air fresheners, detergents, cleaning products and more. Frequent exposure to this chemical, not frequently listed on labels, has been shown to cause explosion of breast tumor cells and makes anti-estrogen treatments, such as tamoxifen, less effective against tumors.

1,4-DIOXANE

This is a byproduct of processing harsh chemicals to make them less harsh. It is considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

NITROSAMINES

Numerous studies link nitrosamines to cancer, and they are banned in the UK and Canada! They are also listed as possible human carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and are on the California EPA Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. Enough Said!

HEAVY METALS

Lead in your Lipstick? Aluminum in your deodorant? Can you imagine rubbing those ingredients on your body in pure form? Cancerous breast biopsies show higher accumulations of iron, nickel, chromium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead than non-cancerous biopsies. One metal that’s great for your body is iron! It’s necessary for blood oxygenation and is found in leafy greens.

Find out more at SafeCosemtics.org

 

YOUR HOUSE

Many of the products, materials and chemicals that many of us keep and use in our houses are linked to increased risk of breast cancer. Your body may be your temple, but your house is your home. Keep it safer with these tips and facts: 

CLEANING

Did you know there are 17,000 petrochemicals that are approved for home use in cleaning products – and only about 30 percent have been tested for human and environmental safety?

Instead, use lemon, baking soda and vinegar to clean the house. Stay away from bleach! Use non-bleached toilet paper and tampons.

Can’t make your own? Then use non-toxic alternatives like Mrs. Myers, Seventh Generation, Method, Ecover, or BioKleen.

PLASTIC SUCKS!

Plastics slowly leak chemicals into everything they touch. Try to avoid them as much as possible, and be safe when you can’t. 

Never microwave your food in plastic containers.

Use stainless steel or aluminum water bottles.

Never drink out of a plastic water bottle that has been sitting in your car getting hot.

In May 2008, the FDA acknowledged that BISPHENOL A (BPA), a chemical used to make hard plastic, was detected in the urine of 93 percent of the population. BPA mimics estrogen and has been linked to breast cancer and early onset puberty in girls. Look for “BPA-free” on hard plastic drinking cups like sports water bottles, food storage containers or baby bottles.